The Argument and Freeway Extrapolation
by hokie3457
Summary: Sometimes engaged couples argue; you should always be aware of your surroundings.


**A/N: This started out as one thing and as I went along changed into something quite different. I have had it written for a bit and couldn't decide if it was in a form for publishing. As I haven't been able to get anything else out, I'm throwing this at the wall to see if I can get things going. Let me know what you think (and don't be afraid to be critical).**

**As always you are all my favorite people out there. Any reviews are always appreciated. Thank you for your patience.**

The Argument and Freeway Extrapolation

She was driving extremely slow; at least slow for her. The argument had taken its toll. Completely deflated, she had been driving for nearly an hour. At first just around the streets of Pasadena, but for the last twenty-five minutes, she had been driving north. Nowhere in particular. Just out on the highway. Windows down. Wind blowing. Alone.

Even her usual companion, the radio, remained silent. She wanted to think. To pay attention to her thoughts. Listen to her stream of consciousness.

This was their usual modus operandi in arguments. She would become angry and lash out verbally, then turn and run. She hated that about herself. Especially now. With him.

Do engaged couples fight? She sighed to herself. Of course they do. They fight over flowers. They fight over guest lists. They fight over seating charts. One thing they probably don't fight about is setting a date. At least if they really want to get married.

Seeing a highway exit, she put on her signal and entered the correct lane. The sign said "services ahead". She needed to use the restroom and perhaps get a cup of coffee.

Finding a parking space in a well-lit area, she went to get out of the vehicle. Her eye rested on the small-framed photograph hanging from the rear-view mirror. It was of the two of them. A recent photograph, taken after they had become engaged. Her hair still long. Just after Sheldon went on his "trip of discovery". She touched the photo and smiled sadly.

Closing the car door and pushing the 'lock' button on the key fob, she then looked around the area to get her bearings. She began to walk toward the restaurant portion of the rest stop. A lone driver was at the gas pumps, filling his SUV. She could feel his eyes follow her. Could feel them boring into her. Fighting the urge to turn to him and yell "take a picture asshole, it lasts longer!" she gripped her purse tighter and picked up speed in her steps.

Entering the building, she looked for the ladies room. Finding it, she walked straight toward it and entered behind another traveler. It was past the dinner hour. Nearly 9:30, so there was not a line waiting to use the facilities. Finishing, she washed her hands and looking up at her reflection in the mirror, winced at what she saw.

Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She noted that some mascara trailed down the corner of the left eye. Plopping her purse on the edge of the sink, she dug through its contents and took the small portable container of make-up wipes. Pulling one out, she did a quick cleanse of her face. Selecting another, she scrubbed at her eyelids, taking extra care to remove all the mascara, eye liner and shadow so carefully applied earlier. Finally, she ran a brush quickly through her new short hair-do, thinking and smiling shyly as she brushed how much Leonard liked this new look.

Placing everything back into her purse, she took in a deep breath letting her shoulders rise. She then watched her reflection, as they fell back into place while she exhaled. She then turned and looked into the full-length mirror on the wall next to her. Taking a few steps back, she looked at that reflection. Trying to imagine what the creep ogling her was looking at. She wasn't wearing anything revealing. A denim skirt that was not the shortest one she owned. Not by a long shot. She had on a long sleeved blouse that was by no means revealing and topped the outfit off with her favorite pair of blue flip-flops. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing a thousand other women would wear. "Just some kind of weirdo" she said aloud.

Exiting the ladies room, she made her way to the take-out counter. Getting into line, she noticed she was right behind the man that had been checking her out on her way in. Listening to the little voice inside her head, she quietly turned and made her way out of the building and headed back to her car. She would use the drive-thru instead of putting up with anyone hitting on her.

Once inside her car, she locked the door and started the engine. Sitting for a few moments, she reached for her purse and pulled out her phone. Pressing the button to turn it back on, she waited for it to fully engage. Swiping it open and adding her lock code, she was surprised not to see any messages or missed calls from Leonard. Just as she was about to put the device back into her purse, she felt it vibrate, indicating a text message had arrived.

Hitting the message icon, it opened and showed something new at "Messages - Leonard". It had been sent over forty-five minutes previously and read:

**I'm sorry. Call me to let me know you're alright. I love you. xx**

**L.**

She immediately keyed her response.

**I'm sorry too. And I'm sorry that I worried you. I'm fine, just went for a drive up the Foothill Freeway. Coming home now. I love you so much. xxx**

**P.**

She hit "send" and placed the phone in her lap. She noticed that same man once again, exiting the building. Looking around for a moment, he shrugged his shoulders and entered his vehicle. He did not look her way once. Maybe she was wrong, but…She sat there and watched him leave the parking lot and enter onto the highway.

Thinking of the conversations she had with her mother when she was 16 and had just started driving, as well as the talks they had when she began dating earlier than that and finally, the things she learned in a self-defense class she had taken, Penny decided to take a different route home. Other than seeming like a creep, there wasn't anything that the gentleman from the gas pumps did in particular. There was just something that told her to be cautious. Another of those lessons was to listen to that inner voice. It usually was right.

Watching the area as she picked up her phone she swiped open to her contacts and hit the first one that appeared "AAALeonard". The picture that accompanied the contact in her phone was adorable. The two of them sitting on the stairs in the hallway outside the door to her, maybe soon their, apartment. She smiled brightly every time she saw the photo.

He answered on the first ring.

"Penny?" he said. Both a question and concern in his voice.

"Hey, you" she said softly.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. I just want to get home to you."

And I want you here with me."

"I'll be there soon. And we can talk."

"Okay. I'll be waiting."

"Baby, I'm taking the secondary roads home for a bit before I get back on the freeway."

"Are you alright? Did you see something you didn't like?"

He knew her perfectly well. Knew that was her usual course of action if she was concerned about something or if she saw something she didn't like.

"Do you want me to come meet you?"

"No. It's fine. I just wanted to let you know the route I was taking and that it'll take me a little longer than usual."

"Okay. Keep your phone in your lap so it's easy to reach and-"

"I know. If I see anything at all, I'll drive to a public place or a police or fire station. I'm fine. I'll call you along the way too."

"Okay. You're precious cargo, you know."

"I love you Leonard. So much. I'm sorry for fighting. We don't have to work things around my brother. If we wait for him, it-"

"No. It's important to you that you have your family there. We'll figure it out. Just come home."

"I love you" she said it again.

"And I love you" he echoed her. "Call me. Soon."

"I will" she returned, smiling and with a tear of relief escaping her eye.

Hitting "end", she watched the picture of them blip away from the screen. She went to place the phone back into her purse, but remembered what Leonard requested and placed the phone in her lap on her skirt.

She backed her car out of the space and made her way slowly to the area near the fuel pumps. The entrances to the north and south bound lanes were just beyond. Not yet engaging her headlights, she waited and looked to the right; the northbound lane. She could see the freeway ahead. Letting her eyes become accustomed to her line of sight and the darkness, she watched as other vehicles whizzed past. She was then able to follow their headlights as they projected their beams forward. Studying, looking and gazing, she finally saw what she knew she would, but did not want to. There was a vehicle pulled off to the side of the road. When the lights of the passing motorists shone that way and from where she was, she was ninety percent sure it was the vehicle that was being gassed up earlier. The driver knew she was in her car. Was he anticipating that she would be continuing her drive north?

Her mind going a mile-a-minute, Penny picked up her phone once again. Swiping it open and unlocking the device, she hit "911" and waited, biting her lower lip.

"911. What is your emergency?" came the voice of the operator.

Penny identified herself and provided her contact information, then briefly went through the occurrences of the last half-hour at the rest stop. She gave a description both of the man she encountered at a distance as well as the make, model and color of his vehicle, surprising herself at how observant she actually was.

She also mentioned that she could see the SUV pulled over to the side of the highway almost as if the driver were waiting for something.

The emergency dispatcher asked a few more questions, including if the stranger had spoken to her or approached her. Penny had to answer no, but that she felt he was waiting for her in the take-out food line and just after in the parking lot. Just nothing directly.

She was thanked for calling and was told that the situation would be looked into. After ending the call, Penny looked dubiously at her phone, shrugged her shoulders and placed it back on her lap.

She looked again up the way on the northbound highway and waited for another vehicle to pass the dark shape in the distance. A tractor-trailer truck confirmed the unknown party was still there.

Starting her car, she carefully turned it toward the entrance to the southbound lane; still not putting on the headlights and being cautious in not pressing the brake so as to keep those warning lights off as well.

As soon as she was on the freeway, she decided to stay on until the first exit and then take the secondary roads into Pasadena and then home. Her headlights now on, she accelerated and made her way toward that exit.

Not traveling fully a mile she saw in the distance on the northbound side two fast moving police cars approaching, each with their blue and red lights flashing. As they whirred by, she wondered if they were responding to the call she had made.

Entering the Pasadena City Limits, she signaled and exited the freeway. Pulling into the parking lot of a Pharmacy, she picked up her phone and called Leonard again.

"Hey" he said picking up after the first ring.

"Hey, you" she returned.

"I just got off the freeway. I should be home in fifteen minutes" she said, feeling the smile on her face as she added "see you then."

"Okay" he added. "I'll have a snack and some wine waiting when you get here."

"Sounds great. I love you."

"I love you too."

Nearly twenty minutes later, Leonard jumped up off of the couch when he heard the doorknob turn. She entered and dropped her purse instantly as they each enveloped the other in a tight, long lasting embrace.

"I hate it when we fight" she whispered in his ear.

"Me too" he returned. "Let's not try to get too good at it, okay?"

She responded with a laugh and backed out of the embrace and kissed him on the mouth long and passionately.

Kicking off her flip-flops, she took him by the hand and led him toward her bedroom-their bedroom.

"Don't you want a glass of wine?" he questioned her.

"Only if it's a Hofstadter vintage" she said pulling him the rest of the way.

"A wha-Ohhhh" he said, finally understanding

"You catch on pretty quick there, genius" she said, continuing her kiss where she left off, while pushing him onto _their _bed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Waking early, Leonard had gone out to get an assortment of bagels and pastries. He also stopped to pick up the Saturday morning newspaper. He gasped as he looked at the lead story on the front page. Hurrying back to 2311 North Los Robles and up to the 4th floor, he opened the door to apartment 4B. He rushed past Penny, who was on her phone, and put his purchases on the kitchen island. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his inhaler and quickly delivered the medication to his lungs.

Concerned with her phone call and with Leonard's asthma attack she covered the distance between them in an instant and rested her hand gently on his arm, caressing his sleeve with her thumb as his breathing returned to normal.

"Are you alright?" she mouthed the question as she listened to the other party on the phone.

He nodded his reply yes and held out the paper for her to see.

Looking at the headline, she returned his nod and said into the cell phone "thank you so much for calling Detective Keith. I can be available whenever you like, just let me know."

She listened for another moment before signing off "thank you again. We'll hear from you soon."

Disconnecting from the call, she let her eyes go wide and entered Leonard's arms.

The newspaper headline read "**FREEWAY ATTACKER CAPTURED**".


End file.
